1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to golf accessories, and, more particularly, to accessories for supporting an extra golf club in an upright position and for keeping an extra golf club dry and clean, and for conveniently transporting desired items to a location remote from a golf bag.
2. Description of the Related Art
For many years, golfers have resorted to casting extra golf clubs on the ground whenever more than one club had been carried away from the bag to play a remote shot. For example, golfers often grab a chipping club and a putter, and cast the putter on the ground while chipping, and cast the chipping club on the ground while putting. This leads to soiled or wet grips, and lost or forgotten clubs. Another situation is where the golfer grabs several clubs from a parked golf cart, not knowing which club is needed to play the remote shot. The need to grab extra golf clubs is often most felt when it is raining or when the ground is wet. Golfers also generally feel the need to have relatively dry grips, free of soil or grass, when the conditions are wet or humid. The problem is compounded by the fact that carts are not allowed on very wet fairways, so that extra golf clubs are often not available from a closely parked golf cart under wet conditions.
Some golfers have tried to combat this problem by propping the grip of an extra club on a golf tee inserted into the ground. This requires the golfer to bend down twice, and may not provide the needed height in rough areas having high grass. The club is not in a conspicuous position when propped on a tee, it is for all purposes in a horizontal position. It is not uncommon for extra clubs to be left behind when they are left in the horizontal position. Rain is more likely to soak the grips thoroughly when the club is substantially horizontal, such as propped on a tee or lying on the ground.
A device currently being sold is the "CADDY II", by Par 3 Enterprises, of Jacksonville, Fla. The device comprises a plastic tube having a cylindrical opening suitable for receiving the grip end of a golf club shaft. The plastic tube is closed off on a bottom portion and has a relatively large diameter metal stake affixed to the bottom of the tube. Near the top of the tube a plastic semicircular hook is provided. The device is inserted in a golf bag, stake portion down, and a club, such as a putter, may be inserted upside-down in the cylindrical opening. The stake portion of the device can be inserted into the ground, and the device can then support extra clubs by leaning them against the hook or by placing them upside down in the cylindrical opening.
This device has several drawbacks. The device takes up a large amount of space in a golf bag, and the hook portion is mounted in a fixed position, it sticks out a considerable amount. Only one club can be inserted in the cylindrical opening, usually the putter, but the putter is not always the extra club needed. In that case, the putter would probably be carried with the device to a remote shot location, along with any other extra clubs. Rain, condensation, and other debris are likely to collect in the cylindrical opening, especially near the bottom, where the extra club grip is located. Especially in heavy rain, the grip of a putter or other club inserted upside down is likely to get very wet.
The stake portion of the device is relatively thick. There is no handle to aid in inserting or removing the device from the ground. One must grasp either the plastic tube, which will be slippery when wet, or the hook, which may break or bend, to insert or remove the device. In areas where the ground is very hard, such as parts of the Northeast United States, for example, the large stake diameter will make the device difficult, if not impossible, to use, especially during the dry seasons on hard-packed ground. The large stake portion may also damage some golf courses unnecessarily. Apparently, the device makes no provision for conveniently transporting a towel, ball, or other desired equipment, such as a water resistant grip cover, to a remote shot location.
Accordingly, there has been a long felt and presently unsolved need to provide a device for supporting an extra golf club in a substantially upright position, allowing for compact and easy storage in a golf bag and for ease of transportation and use at a shot location remote from the golf bag. Additionally, the need to provide for convenient transportation, storage, and use of other items at a remote shot location has not been solved.